


You Know It's Obvious

by dharma_club



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: 2015-2016 NHL Season, Alpha Willy, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Fingerfucking, Getting Together, M/M, Oblivious Zach, Omega Zach
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-11
Updated: 2019-08-11
Packaged: 2020-08-18 21:17:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20198323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dharma_club/pseuds/dharma_club
Summary: “I really want to kiss you now. May I kiss you?”Willy’s voice is gentle, honest, like it always is. There’s a whole foot between them, Zach leaning back against his hotel door and Willy just standing there, the official courting-mandated foot apart, waiting for permission.And Zach is, well, extremely confused.





	You Know It's Obvious

**Author's Note:**

> I had this random thought of OBVIOUSLY ZACH HYMAN IS AN OMEGA. 
> 
> And needed to write it down so I can focus on my HBB. And then this got longer than I expected? And then grew something resembling a plot?  
I am truly unsure what happened. 
> 
> Many thanks to [hotcrosbunsl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hotcrosbuns) for the excellent beta! 
> 
> Title from **Sucker** by Jonas Brothers

“I really want to kiss you now. May I kiss you?”

Willy’s voice is gentle, honest, like it always is. There’s a whole foot between them, Zach leaning back against his hotel door and Willy just standing there, the official courting-mandated foot apart, waiting for permission.

And Zach is, well, extremely confused. “What-” 

Willy steps closer and Zach can swear there’s suddenly less air to breathe in the deserted corridor they’re in. His entire body tenses up, he’s not afraid, could never be afraid of Willy, but there’s a strange current running through him and he doesn’t know how to place this sensation. Willy licks his lips and it’s really not helping Zach in trying to concentrate on figuring out how the fuck they ended up here.

“I thought,” Willy says, his voice steady, “We’re in the NHL now. Together. I know I’m young and I’m not good at the whole providing thing. Like, I tried, with the fruit, but I don’t think that’s how it’s supposed to work, and…” 

“Providing?” Zach asks, because he really doesn’t like where this is going, Willy can’t seriously mean... 

“That’s how alphas are supposed to court, right?” Willy shrugs. 

Right, courting. Because that’s a thing alphas and omegas do. Which yes, Willy and Zach technically are. 

Only Zach evidently didn’t pay attention and somehow missed the point when it started to matter.

\----

It’s not that Zach is a terrible omega, not by a long shot. You hear stories about omegas who drug themselves with hormone downers, buy scent blocker gadgets and just live life as betas. That’s not Zach, he comes from a traditional family and for the majority of his life that meant doing things a certain way. 

It’s not that omegas aren’t allowed to be a significant part of society, it’s that they are meant to have a very specific role in it. Zach was taught that being an omega meant to be gentle, charitable and while it’s okay to be intelligent, you should focus on the liberal arts if you’re the studious type. So Zach he did his due and went to an elite private omega finishing high-school, where he even published a children’s book, he did a history degree instead of the econ one he wanted to do, he went to every single charity event neither of his parents could attend. 

Sure, playing hockey throughout wasn’t traditional, but omegas are encouraged to be athletic and with his dad’s business being so hockey-focused, no one really thought it that weird Zach was spending time in the rink. 

He was a very dutiful son and made sure he met every required omega milestone his parents wanted him to. And he hopes his success balances out the choice to go pro, hopes they're proud of his work ethic and dedication if not his specific choices. 

The thing is, moving on his own after college and playing with the Marlies, he kind of... well, forgot he was supposed to care about any of the omega bullshit. Everyone he spends time with nowadays is an alpha, and it’s easy to act like he’s no different from any other guy in the Marlies dressing room.

He knows he’s lucky because he passes so easily, he’s bigger and rougher than what omegas are supposed to look like. If Zach were a better person he’d be more vocal, more proud of what he achieved. He gets that it’s not the right thing to do, but he wasn’t ever looking to change the world, he just really wanted to play hockey. At the end of the day, he’s not the first omega to make it, and he hasn’t even actually really made yet, so. 

It’s not like he forgot he’s an omega. You don’t just stop noticing your ass gets wet when you’re really into something, or erase a decade of chirps for that matter, but all in all it’s easier to basically take his suppressants every morning and go about living his life like none of it matters.

All of it to say that Zach doesn’t really think much about it when Willian Nylander comes up to him after practice one day in early November and says something about breakfast. Zach likes William, in the absent-minded way you like someone you spend time with but don’t know at all, likes how talented and easy-going he is. Sure, he’s showier than the guys Zach naturally gravitates towards, but team is team. 

“I like breakfast,” he says, and William beams, rattles on about this diner-like coffee shop he saw on Instagram that would be perfect. 

\----

Breakfast with William (“No, dude, call me Willy.”) is, for lack of a better word, nice. It’s not awkward, but it’s definitely weirder than any breakfast he ever grabbed with a teammate. William talks about his brother a lot, mentions his sisters, and Zach, because he’s polite, shares stories about his own family. After all, growing up in a hockey family is great, but it’s not always the most relatable experience, and Zach really is happy they can share some parts of it. 

They bicker over their orders and Zach mercilessly teases William about his herbal tea choices.

Will kicks him under the table in retaliation, smirking, and Zach can’t help but smile back at him. Will is young and disarming, and Zach is grateful to have him on his line, pleasantly surprised to discover he wants to spend more time with him off-ice as well. 

Will drives them to practice and then later convinces Zach to go to lunch.

It’s 7 p.m. and they’re watching some Marvel movie in an almost empty theater, Willy casually leaning into Zach’s personal space to grab more popcorn when Zach realizes they spent most of the day together.

\----

On their next bus road trip Willy plops down next to Zach and leans his head on Zach’s shoulder.

“You’re nicer to cuddle with,” he says when Zach lifts an inquisitive eyebrow at him, looking at the empty space next to Kappy at the back of the bus. 

It doesn’t happen every away trip after, but often enough Zach would get on the bus and find Willy in Zach’s usual seat, grinning. And Zach always smiles back, despite himself, grateful for the grounding warmth of Willy’s body against his in the cold bus.

\----

Tyler Seguin unexpectedly goes into heat and gets himself and his captain scratched for four games. Zach reads it on twitter and then spends three hours at the gym, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. He’s annoyed, bitter and unsettlingly defensive the rest of the day, so team lunch is sort of miserable. 

“What’s up?” Willy asks, moving his apple to Zach’s tray as he sits down.

“Zach thinks media will want to talk to him about his heat because of the Seguin thing,” Brownie offers and Zach gives him the stink eye. It’s like Brownie decided to turn insightful in the worst possible moment.

Zach’s not a prude, despite his current celibacy. He’s fucked a decent amount of omegas and betas in college, and a couple alphas too. But he definitely never wants to discuss his heat, or who he might be spending it with, let alone stand in front of the Toronto media and share details. 

Willy looks at Zach, suddenly serious. “You should skip media.” 

Zach shrugs. 

“Let me know if I can help,” Willy says, all earnest. Zach can’t possibly imagine how Willy can help, but it’s nice of him to offer. 

\----

They go to a club for New Year’s, because Kappy insists, and almost everybody gets royally sloshed. 

William’s appointed himself as Kappy’s wingman, and while Zach isn’t sure if he’s actually helping him pull or just being distractingly gorgeous while Kappy awkwardly flirts, it seems like they’re having fun. 

Zach smiles at their shenanigans when he can spot them but mostly loses himself in dancing with Brownie, Maddy and a bunch of Maddy’s friends. He ends up kissing one of them, Brianna, at midnight. Just a tiny peck on the lips as the crowd around them celebrates 2016 before they laugh it off easily and just go back to dancing.

He doesn’t see Willy at all until the end of the night when they’re splitting an uber home. Zach sort of missed it, but from what he managed to piece up it seems like Willy was royally shot down, and has been drunkenly whining about it for a while now. Kappy ordered the uber and then proceeded to stare Zach down until he feels like a horrible, bad friend and volunteers to make sure Willy gets home safe. 

The ride itself is quiet, Willy staring out the window, head leaning against the dark glass. Zach thinks he’s sobered up, but Willy still seems melancholy, which doesn’t sit right with him.

“Happy New Year, Zachy.” William whispers before he gets out of the car.

“Text me tomorrow,” Zach says.

\----

Being friends with Willy is infinitely different than Zach though it would be. 

Zach spent the last few years playing hockey, so it’s not like he doesn’t have any alpha friends. If he was asked about it before, he’d imagine hanging out with Willy would be similar to his friendship with Brownie, where it’s mostly silent camaraderie and chirping over CoD, or the way he and Dylan used to argue for hours, friendly banter that doesn’t go anywhere. 

Willy is nothing like that, he keeps dragging Zach to fancy ass restaurants and insists on watching movies in real movie theaters. Willy likes telling Zach stories about his family, and about playing in Sweden and his old girlfriends and boyfriends, too honest and open for his own good. And Zach shares as well, talks about college and his brothers, skirts around the less pleasant parts of playing hockey with a bunch of alpha teenagers. 

Being friends with Willy is stroking Willy’s hair as he lies on Zach’s thigh as they watch a movie, because Willy demanded it by placing Zach’s hand on his head and humming. It’s Willy shifting fruit from his tray to Zach’s before every game, because Zach is now part of his superstitions. It’s watching YouTube clips of Simone Biles on Willy’s phone together during bus rides and it’s a comforting hand on Zach’s knee when they’re on the bench after hard shifts.

It reminds Zach of how it feels hanging out with his family, just comfortable and comforting. He might also have developed teeny-tiny crush on Willy, but he's pretty sure everyone who has ever met Willy does that, really, and it's not anything serious. Probably just Zach's libido trying to remind him sex with other people is actually kind of fun.

\---- 

They get called up together at the end of February.

The game is on leap day and they lose it, but it doesn’t really matter, just playing in the NHL is a rush on its own. They go out with the team, and Zach tries to mingle, but he can’t help but want to stay put, close to his Marlies guys. So he sits by Kappy throughout the evening and sips whatever beer Willy puts in front of him.

Most of the Leafs have already headed back to the hotel when Willy comes over and glares at Kappy until he sighs dramatically and stands up. 

“You two are so extra,” Kappy mutters, grabbing for his beer. 

And Zach smiles, a little tipsy but mostly just content. He doesn’t think he’s been extra about anything in his life, especially when compared to Kappy, but whatever. It doesn’t really matter when he’s playing in the NHL with his favorite people. 

One of whom is currently looking fondly at Zach. Willy is so full of life, and talent, and he’s made Zach’s life so much richer the last few months. Zach suddenly desperately needs him to know all of that. 

“You were so good tonight,” he tells him, lamely. 

It’s barely anything, but Willy is smiling at him like he still gets it, flush with satisfaction, and his smile is almost too blinding. “God, Zach, it’s the NHL. I…”

“I know.” Zach says, grinning back. It’s years of work coming together, they’re on the brink of something great and he can almost see it, just another small push. He’s honestly never been happier. 

Willy tugs on his sleeve. “Come on, let’s get you back to your room.” 

Zach rolls his eyes but follows.

\----

The hotel is eerily quiet, even though it’s not really that late yet. Zach’s voice carries as he tries to tell Willy how they should maybe get up early to swim in the hotel pool before flying out of Tampa.

They’ve reached Zach’s door and Willy’s not listening in the slightest, hasn't heard a word of what Zach's been saying for a while. But. Zach is just so helplessly fond of him, his stupid jokes and weird hang-ups, and the fact he thinks he has an eye for fashion. 

Willy leans against the opposite wall, and Zach guesses it means they’re not saying goodnight yet .

“You stopped talking.” Willy says.

“You weren’t listening,” Zach teases.

Willy smiles, no shame whatsoever. “Maybe I like your voice.” 

Zach looks down, in spite of himself, not sure what to do or say. 

“I like your voice. And your smile and the way you play hockey.” Willy continues, and he sounds a little nervous. “I like your everything, Zach, and I really want to kiss you now, may I kiss you?”

He steps closer, but not close enough for Zach to feel anything but the cold air of the AC. He’s really not sure what’s going on.

“What -” he starts, but Willy steps a little closer then and Zach’s words get stuck in his throat. 

“I thought,” Willy says quickly. “We’re in the NHL now. Together. I know I’m young and I’m not good at the whole providing thing. Like, I tried, with the fruit, but I don’t think that’s how it’s supposed to work, and…” 

“Providing?” Zach asks, because he really can’t help himself. He’s trying to understand.

“That’s how alphas are supposed to court, right?” Willy shrugs, but he looks hopeful. 

Zach just doesn’t get it. Willy is beautiful. You’re not supposed to say that about alphas, but Zach thinks that as an omega who decidedly isn’t beautiful, he has special privileges to say whatever he fucking pleases. 

Anyway, Willy is the knee-weakening, heart-thumping, swoon-at-his-feet type of gorgeous that dates tiny sweet supermodel omegas who then retire at 19 so they can get married and start having perfect babies. 

The thing is, Zach has kissed a bunch of alphas before, but nobody actually ever asked him. He knows alphas are supposed to ask, but it never happened to Zach. So William is perfect, and he wants to kiss Zach, and really, when you get down to it, that’s not a hard decision at all. 

Zach is not someone who waits for others, though. 

He pushes himself off the door and takes two steps, raises his hand to push a strand of Willy’s hair out of his eyes. He must’ve let Willy’s romanticism get to him because it seems neither of them can breathe. 

He leans into Willy and they meet each other midway, soft lips against soft lips. Sweet, chaste, simple, until Willy sighs into the kiss, rubs Zach’s jaw. 

“You’re,” Willy tries saying, leaning back a little, and shakes his head, exasperated.

And then he is kissing Zach again, deeper, harder, until Zach can’t help but open up under the insistent heat of Willy’s lips and it’s even better. Willy exploring, tasting, mouth hot and fingers gentle against Zach’s cheeks, his neck.

He kind of gets lost in it, and it takes a while for Zach to remember they’re in public, and even then he can’t quite let go. He leans back a little, almost stumbles, just so he can breathe, but Willy’s arm is around his waist to catch him and stop him from going too far. 

“Well, aren’t you kind of forward?” Willy huffs, except he sounds in awe and Zach can’t help but feel a tiny bit proud. 

“You like my everything?” he asks, because that’s still kind of unbelievable. 

“Yeah,” Willy leans into him again, sucks on Zack’s lower lip and rubs his side. 

“Come inside,” Zach offers. Quickly kisses Willy again so there’s no confusion on what he means.

“Are you -” Willy flushes. “Are you sure?”

Zach nods, decisive, and unlocks the door.

\----

Zach removes his shoes and pants, but gets pulled into bed by an already naked Willy before he manages to unbutton his shirt all the way. Which is unfair, because Zach wanted to ogle him a little. 

Willy kisses him again, then continues down his jaw, and Zach kind of melts, lets Willy push him down until he’s just lying on the bed. He’s usually more active during sex, but Willy is so freaking gentle, fingers unbuttoning Zach’s shirt and only barely skimming over his skin. It’s almost nothing, but Zach feels like he’s burning with need for more. Wants to mark Willy and for Willy mark him in return. 

Willy has a similar idea, and flicks his thumb over Zach’s nipple, humming contentedly when Zach shudders. He kind of goes to town from there, and Zach's brain short-circuits because Willy is grabbing and pinching and licking and biting all across his chest and Zach has never ever considered he might have sensitive nipples before, but apparently Willy knows exactly how to get him there.

Zach cards his fingers through Willy’s hair, more encouraging than directing, and gets rewarded with a sharp bite followed by a soothing kiss. Ish. Fuck, he just might end up with some hard-to-explain hickeys on the middle of his torso. 

He guides Willy back to his mouth, and they kiss again. It’s amazing how quickly it has become Zach’s absolute favorite thing ever. 

“You smell like cardamom,” Willy whispers as he leans back.

It’s sweet, but Zach is definitely on suppressants so Willy shouldn’t be smelling pheromones no matter how close he was just now. “What?”

Willy looks down at Zach, like he sometimes does on the ice, willing Zach to connect the dots and get to the same conclusion Willy already reached. 

“I’m on suppressants,” Zach insists. 

Willy rolls his eyes. “I’ve noticed, you think we would’ve lasted four months of courting if you weren’t?”

Zach’s mind is kind of blown by the fact he missed being fucking courted by William Nylander of all people for four whole months, except the next thing Willy says is,

“I can tell your smell because you’re soaking wet.” 

Zach can feel himself go mortifyingly red, and shuts his eyes. It’s so dirty, and so hot, he can feel himself get even slicker, arches his back towards Willy despite himself like the worst type of soft-core omega porn. 

Needing to be fucked until he can’t see straight is pretty much a heat-only thing for Zach. It’s not that he minds bottoming, it’s more that he’d rather not limit himself to the one kind of sex he’s biologically compelled to. 

But right now he feels fucking empty.

“Touch me,” he says, voice hoarse, and suddenly the intensity of it all just gets dialed up. Willy wastes no time and gets Zach’s ass in the air, slides Zach’s boxers down and just pushes two fingers right into him.

He scoots down the bed for a better reach and it’s a fairly easy slide with all the slick Zach’s body has been producing, but it’s more than Zach is used to, deeper than he can reach himself. Willy's got this mean, twisty motion going, and Zach's breath keeps hitching on every upstroke. 

“More?” Willy asks once he gets a rhythm going. 

Zach would love to say yes, would love to get Willy fucking him, and isn’t that a lovely thought. But it’s also a little too much already and the idea of more is honestly scary to deal with right now.

“No, just this,” Zach says, searches for Willy’s eyes to make sure he's not too disappointed.

Willy is straddling Zach’s right leg, looking down at him with eyes blown wide, his hair is all over the place and he looks more like a crazed, determined demi-god than his usual woodland creature self.

It’s weird to think Zach did that. 

“You’re so hot,“ Willy tells him. “Gonna nail you so good, Zachy.” 

Zach wants to laugh with how cheesy that is, but Willy proceeds to do just that. Pushes his fingers into Zach again and again, hard and fast, pressing against Zach’s prostate on every stroke. It feels amazing, and it hurts and Zach's not even sure if he's moving towards Willy's fingers or away from it, but he know Willy is in no way allowed to stop.

And on top of it there's the sound, filthy and obscene, of being open and wet because Willy wants him so, of being fingered mercilessly and constantly moaning because he can't help himself. Willy’s soft encouragements and praise as he takes Zach apart with his fingers. 

“Fuck yeah, come on, Zachy, wanna feel you come.” he says when Zach reaches for his own cock and it’s over almost immediately after that, Zach clenching around Willy’s fingers. 

They stay like that, Zach trying to remember how to breathe again before Willy carefully removes his fingers. Zach kind of expects a kiss, or a hug, or something, but instead he feels Willy gets up. 

“Where are you going?” he asks quietly. 

“To the bathroom,” Willy says, and he sounds strained, so Zach opens his eyes. And okay, maybe Zach should have noticed Willy was still hard, naked and stroking his cock. Right, because responsible alphas don’t come next to fertile omegas. 

“Come here, I’m on birth control.” he says and grabs Willy’s wrist to drag him closer once he’s back on the bed. 

“Come on me,” he says, and tries to keep eye contact as Willy strokes himself before releasing all over Zach’s chest with a ragged groan. 

“You okay?” Willy asks, after.

Zach just hums and lets himself be kind of floaty for a while, satisfied and orgasm-drunk, until he notices Willy cleaning his nipples a little too thoroughly and he giggles, because it’s kind of objectively funny. “You have a thing for my, “ he doesn’t want to say pecs, because it sounds like a stupid brag, so he motions his hand awkwardly above his chest instead.

“Tits,” Willy says cheekily and kisses Zach quickly before he can protest. Zach falls asleep before he can come up with an answer. 

\----

Zach wakes up with an armful of a sleeping blond and an alarm clock telling him they’re going to be late for the bus if they don’t get up now. 

Willy is waking up too, and his sleep-rumpled hair does something decidedly unfair to Zach’s heart. 

“Hi,” he says, smiling. Zach has seen that smile a hundred dozen times by now, but he never really noticed it. Or like, the full force of it. 

It’s happy, and easy, like a lot of things about Willy. But it’s also searching, and hopeful and promising, waiting for Zach, of all people, to smile back. 

Zach really isn’t sure how this happened. It’s not that he doesn’t like alpha men. It’s just the majority of them don’t really find Zach attractive. He gets it, most alphas go for sweet omegas who want to be pampered and taken care of. Zach is just a bad option, too big and rough, with his college degree, pro athlete money, and no intention to get knocked up until he’s retired, if ever. Except William Nylander doesn’t think so, apparently.

“I thought the fruit thing was a superstition,” he admits. 

“What?” Willy asks. 

“Like, you did it once and we won, so you decided to do it all the time.” 

Willy looks exasperated. “Zach, what are you saying?”

Zach breathes in. “I think I’m less traditional than you seem to have assumed.”

“Yeah, got that figured out.” Willy laughs, clear and loud. Pinches Zach’s left nipple lightly with this expression that’s mix of naughtiness and challenging that Zach didn’t even think was possible.

So he gives up trying to explain, thinks maybe the rest of it doesn’t really matter. 

They shower together and Willy washes him with such open adoration that for a moment Zach is seriously concerned they mated by mistake without noticing. He doesn’t think mating outside of heat is a thing that happens in real life, but the dreamy look in Willy’s eyes as he messages soap into every inch of Zach’s body almost convinces him otherwise. 

“Want you inside me, next time,” he says, casually, as he washes Zach’s cock. 

And it’s not like that was gonna be a deal breaker, but Zach is really relieved they’re on the same page as far as that goes, considering everything.

All the touching gets to him and he ends up blowing Willy until they’re almost late. 

\----

>_Six months in: _

“I’ve got an omega. I’m dating Zachy,” he hears Willy scoff at Auston a few tables over, which means everyone else heard as well. 

Auston seems like a pretty solid guy. Zach’s stopped worrying about acceptance a while ago, he’s more concerned about being judged for messing up team dynamics at this point. And maybe he’s also a little low-key hysterical that Willy might overshare details from their sex life at any given point. But he thinks that's kind of warranted, with Willy.

He sure wasn’t expecting Willy to just announce that they’re a thing the very first time the team goes out drinking during training camp.

“Cool, man.” Auston says. 

And Zach smiles, meets Willy’s eyes across the room and nods approvingly. 

\----

>_Then, a few years down the road: _

“Truth or dare?” Mitch asks. 

“Truth,” Willy says quickly, probably because he’s wearing a Balenciaga jacket and Mitch is known to be ruthless. 

“If you had to pick someone on the team,” Mitch leers. “To join you guys for a threesome, who would it be?”

“Zach.” Willy answers, not batting an eye.

“You can’t pick him, it's implied he's already in the threesome.” Auston interrupts. 

Willy shrugs. “So what?”

“So that’s against the rules!” Mitch claims, looking at Freddy for help. 

Freddy just sighs. “Let’s rephrase” he starts, looking at Willy. “You and Hymie need to pick someone from the team -”

“Oh, now I get to pick too?” Zach asks, fake-cheerful. Stupid alpha posturing. 

Freddy winces. “Sorry. Willy, you have Hymie waiting for you, having already given his consent, and you must pick another person from the team to join. Who do you pick?”

“I pick Zach,” Willy grins stubbornly at Freddy. He looks determined, ready for a fight, and Zach really loves his hot asshole boyfriend a lot. 

“I hope someone’s filming this!” Kappy shouts from besides Willy. It’s nice to know he’s as excited about Will’s truth-or-dare mutiny as Zach is, considering Zach is pretty sure Willy and Kappy have been discussing a hypothetical threesome for as long as they've known each other.

Mo shakes his head. “Willy, that’s cheating. Zach’s already there, you can’t pick him because he’s literally already -” 

“No. This is my fantasy threesome,” Willy insists. “And it has two Zachs.” 

“Come ON!” “You’re cheating -” Mitch and Mo shout at the same time. 

“Aww, babe,” Zach smiles, and Willy shuffles across the circle of their teammates and kisses Zach, weirdly triumphant for someone who's about to be kicked out of Truth or Dare.


End file.
